If you want to improve your memory, there are some basic things you can do. Between practicing using your mind, reading and getting creative, you should be able to improve your memory quickly and easily.

Practice
Your mind is a muscle and the more you work it out, the stronger it will become. There are thousands of different ways to strengthen your mind, from Sudoku to word puzzles and even creative logic puzzles. You can come up with your own brain challenges, or buy puzzle books and games specifically for this purpose. Even playing cards with your family can have beneficial results; challenge yourself to remember what cards other players have drawn or discarded. You’ll grow better with practice.

By constantly forcing your mind to be at its best, it gets stronger and forges new connections between ideas. These connections allow you to remember more and can substantially increase your brain power. By figuring out new ways to accomplish tasks and work through puzzles, you become more intelligent as well as improve your memory.

Read
Reading uses the mind in ways that are nearly limitless. When you read, your vocabulary increases, your mind imagines new settings, you practice creative thinking, and – the best part – you remember these things for later use. Building your memory can be as easy as reading some of your favorite authors. Reading puts words, phrases, ideas, expressions and numerous other visuals at the tip of your tongue while also storing them in the long-term memory fields in your brain.

Who would have though reading would help both short-term and long-term memory. If you want to effectively improve every aspect of your memory, the best way to accomplish it is to read. The more genres and different styles of writing you read, the better your memory will be. By exposing your mind to variety, your memory is able to expand rapidly.

CreateWhat would happen if you could go to bed and wake up with an improved memory? Believe it or not, you can. You can also increase your memory by using your imagination, drawing something, being observant, knitting, drawing a picture, or just about any other creative activity you can imagine.

When you are creative, you are actively engaging your brain. During this active stage, your brain takes in a lot of information and stores it for later use. This is why acronyms and silly stories work well for remembering information. By exercising your creativity your mind-muscle is flexed and some of that strength is stored for later.

Just by doing some of the things you do every day, like the daily crossword puzzle, picking up your favorite e-reader, or doodling on a piece of paper during a meeting, you are actively increasing your capacity to remember. So keep doing what you are doing, and in fact, do more of it. The more you practice, the better your memory will be.

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BONUS INFO:Exercises to Boost Memory

Exercising boosts your strength, and exercising your mind boosts memory. But can physical exercise actually increased your memory too? It turns out there are both physical and mental exercises you can perform to increase the efficiency of your memory and keep your mind in top shape. Let’s take a look at a few physical exercises as well as some mental tips and tricks to give your memory the boost it needs.

PhysicalAny physical exercise which gets your blood flowing is great for increasing blood flow to your brain and therefore boosting your memory. But there are specific physical exercises you can do to get your mind working harder.

Exercises involving balance stimulate the memory by requiring the mind to work to stabilize the body. Your brain becomes a direct path for each limb. Examples of exercises like this would include using a balance ball, a balance table, or for the extreme daredevil, slacklining.

When you take in large amounts of oxygen, your blood flow to the brain becomes more efficient. Long distance sports, like running or swimming, force the body to take in more oxygen. When this oxygen gets to your brain, it is like increasing the power to a lightbulb. With this oxygen, your brain can function better and actually store more information.

While it may not be as much of a physical exercise as it is mental stimulation, doing physical movements in a different manner will actually increase your memory. Try batting or golfing on your less-agile side, or changing your grip while playing ping-pong. This challenge keeps your brain from getting complacent by forcing you to use your faculties in unusual ways. You might also try showering, getting dressed, or making a bowl of cereal with your eyes closed.

MentalChunking is a technique some people use to work on memory storage. Chunking uses short-term memory to recall a certain set of numbers or ideas. For an adult, a normal memory range is about seven pieces of data (no coincidence that this is the length of the standard telephone number!). Once that number is reached, any new data just replaces some of the old. The problem is, you never know which old piece the new data bit replaced.

Utilizing nonsense is another way to help boost your memory. By making up sentences or silly mnemonics to go along with some information, your mind will remember based on the fact it was nonsense. Some people use this technique to remember directions or a series of events, and might be helpful for your thoughts and ideas.

Whether you are doing physical exercise, or working a crossword puzzle, you can reap the benefits if you are diligent. As with any good muscle, the more the brain is worked out, the stronger it will become.